Snapshot

I run WKA road racing series, so not often do you get any damage. Too dangerous to be making contact at these speeds (with the exception of a little bump drafting). The numbers get changed depending on if it is a divisional (club) race or a national event. Different numbers are assigned for national events for each weight class entered e.g. 385 on Sat, 360 on Sun. My next race in NJ is another national, so that will be three nationals in a row for me, that's SIX different sets of numbers just for those races. The clubs supply paper numbers that can be taped on, but it is a heck of alot easier to cut them out beforehand, and slap them on each day. Even removing 651 is slightly easier to remove than the package tape or racers tape that is used for the paper numbers. For this next race I applied some car wax, I'll see if that will aid in removal. Part of the reason I bought a cutter was because I know a racer who keeps a small hobby cutter in his trailer to cut his numbers at the track. I thought that would be a good idea, plus I could do graphics as well. As far as reusable vinyl, I was thinking more along the lines of vinyl (printed) decals I have seen before that had virtually no adhesive, simply apply some water, and squeegee it out. Decal peels off rather easily and is somewhat reuseable. The vinyl is usually clear, and fairly thick. I was just curious if anyone had done this, as I was asking for a fellow racer.

According to the oracal color guide, 631 has a removeable adhesive. In fact it is the only one that is listed as removeable, all others are permanent. It unfortunately is only available with a matte finish. How removeable is it? Does anyone know if there is a vinyl that is removeable, and gloss finish? I need to change numbers on the race kart. I am using 651, and I can remove it with some goof off. A friend I race with also wanted to also if there was a vinyl that was easily removeable, and possibly reusable. I guess it would be the "post-it note" of vinyl.

I want to have a shiny mirror like background is the oracal 090 shiney, or just a glossy gray?

The "Education" section from the USC site is gone. Yes there is the "knowledge base" but no where on the site can I find the descriptions about the different vinyls e.g. what each are good for, which are long term vs. short term etc... Plus I wanted to order a green that is more of a neon green. I thought they used to havea better color chart than what is shown now on the item page. I did find it here http://www.oracal.com/products/all-colors.asp?seriesID=184

Thanks that does help, though I was hoping for different answers I'm still struggling with the selection and layer process. I'll play with it some more. It is hard to dicern what is in front or back. Here's a bit more explanation. I've got a drawing and I want to make a 2 color decal. So I ran the EXPAND OUTLINE/INLINE function which gives it two borders. The outermost border I just delete, node by node. My draiwng is like the letter "A", it has an inside triangle section that isn't created with this function, so I have to draw it by hand. But then I have to combine it with the outline portion, so it will punch out the "hole". After much wrangling with it, I was successful, but it took some doing even with a very simple drawing. The next thing I did was add the registration marks on each layer. I drew some squares, then combined them with one layer, then duplicated them,and with a bit of work was able to combine them with the other layer. I was able to do it, but it wasn't very straight forward. It seemed rather tricky and almost accidental. I am wondering if there isn't a better function button or methodology that I have yet to discover to do these things. I can only imagine how hard it would be to do a 3 or 4 layer object.

well, I had to uninstall SBE v6.0.17, and I installed v.21. V.17 returned to freezeup, but the v.21 seems really stable so far. haven't had it freeze yet. I posted some Q's in the SBE section. Having some difficulty trying to do some discrimnate selections of objects in order to combine.

Just wondering if there is a button/function to do registration diamonds or the like with SBE? Or do you just create them for each color? Also, is there a way to select each "obect"? I have found the select all, or select none funtions, but wht if you want to select objects 1 and 2 but not 3? After importing an image file to use as a template, is there a way to turn it on or off like layer views in Inkscape, so you don't have to delete it?

I'll hafta see where I'm at in a year. SC has been easy so far, I cut a 12" x 24" sheet of decals out today, and used it to scale the drawing and add the weeding lines before cutting. BTW, I tried using SBE again, the same version I originally loaded just to see how far it would go. So far no lockups. It's likely there something running in the background that was taking up memory when I ran it previously. I like the program, it appears to do some things that i haven't figured out how to do in IS (outline), but but I am still learning. I've got a couple of questions about it, but I'll probably put those in aonother post so I don't hi-jack this thread any more than I have already. Snapshot

Thanks Ash, If all else fails, I'll take you up on that offer. Let me see if I can get it going with SBE (one version or another) first. I did make my first cut yesterday quite successfully, but I used SignCut with an import from Inkscape to do it. I just had to see if I was at least doing the right thing in Inkscape, and to make sure that I had the cutter set up properly (blade depth). It was a simple single color design, but now I am anxious to make some multicolor, and layered designs to do borders. I guess I need to figure out how to do registraion marks in IS next... Snapshot

I am following this thread as well because in a year I will be in the same boat. I really want to just get this going without having to spend too much time going down the wrong path. So far though through my searches I think I have uncovered at least three different versions of SBE 6.0.17, .21 and .05. I did get what I think is the UK version with the "virus" patch extracted from it's rar file. That took some doing to find the right switch to tun off from my AV software. I will probably do the install today on my desktop after uninstalling the original version (.17) to see if that solves the freezeup issue I have with SBE. But I too need to have the drivers, so I will try it and see. The MH-871 suspercedes the so it should work. SC was able to "talk" to it (briefly as a test) so it should work. BTW, I D/L'd the Noob file as well, and it has some dead links in it.

Hey Stuff, I just got the same cutter, and even though I have yet to cut anything. I loaded up the MH-721 dirver, and It seems to communicate with the cutter. I ran a cut to it with SC (without a blade), just to check, and it started "cutting".

REALLY!, I am literally BRAND NEW to this hobby, and even newer to this forum (I only signed up about a week ago), so you MUST have me confused with someone else! I haven't described ANYTHING about my computer except that my very first install of SBE seems to lock up. On my very first (introduction forum) post, Ash replys "email me, I can help" Instead of any suggestions or help, I get a response from Ash to "fix" my computer for $65/hour and nothing more. I don't know him from Adam, so I was a bit put off by his solicitation. Apparently i am not the only one either. I never "bad mouthed" him, I just didn't want or need any more solicitations. I am a HOBBIEST, not a prefessional vinyl cutter. I may be new to this forum, but I have been involved in many other forums both past and present. I don't think I should even have to defend myself over this, and this is the LAST WORD I will write about this.

I am sure the patch is good, as many ppl have attested to it. However i haven't been able to get it past AV software, it gets scrubbed out. I'll try again this weekend.

tnt What version is the one you just loaded. I am starting out, and am having trouble with SBE locking up (v6.0.17). Funny connection#1 I am also a kart racer, and a hobbiest cutter that was looking to do my own graphics and numbers. funny connection #2, My real job involves TNT as well, (see my posts and pic from introductions). Snapshot

Thanks, I may try loading it on laptop (also Win7). I also checked the version number, it is 6.0.17, though browsing through some of the forum, I have found mention of a v6.24. I have D/L'd a couple of versions from various links, so I may try some. I also tried to get a patch through this forum, but it was scrubbed via AV software. Thanks for the support, I have to say I did get a response that offered to "help" in the introductions section, but it was a actually a solicitation from ash computers. Hence the added statement.